


Democratic 2020 Charter

by surefireshore



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Modern Politics, Modern Retelling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:48:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26673919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surefireshore/pseuds/surefireshore
Summary: A rewrite of the charter scene from 3.4.4: The Back Room of the Café MusainInstead of kings and charters, parties and platforms
Relationships: Combeferre & Courfeyrac (Les Misérables)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 9
Collections: 2020 Brick ReNouveauTions





	Democratic 2020 Charter

**Author's Note:**

> beta'd by the incomparable @shitpostingfromthebarricade

Combeferre sits peacefully by the fire in the back room of the Musain, listening to his friends chatter behind him. Houcheloup knows he gets cold easily and had lit the fire for him in anticipation of the meeting today, like she usually does even when it’s barely fall and most people are in light sweaters. A smile spreads across his face and turns into a laugh when he hears Bahorel’s romantic advice to Joly. 

“Just show up to your next date in a pair of tight leather pants. That’ll help catch her attention.” 

This seems to distract Grantaire, and Combeferre is taking a moment to appreciate the absence of drunken ranting when Courfeyrac bursts into the room. He heads straight for Combeferre. 

“Have you seen this shit?” 

“Have I seen what?” 

Courfeyrac shouts, “This fucking ad, this fucking Biden/Harris mailer.” 

“Probably, we all get them.” He pauses. “Did you bring your mail here just to yell about it?” 

“I checked it on my way out, that’s not the point.” Courfeyrac dumps his bag on the chair next to Combeferre’s and reads off a few lines from the mailer before continuing. “All these half-measures aren’t gonna fix anything. The whole West Coast is on fire; murderers with badges walk free; governors across the country are pushing anti-protesting bills that fly in the face of the 1st amendment; we’re about to have a 6-3 minority in the supreme court, and he’s only planning to undo what Trump has changed? To bring us back to four years ago as if that was actually working? This is his plan?” He shakes the mailer, still gripped tightly in his hand, and it gives a weak wobbling sound as if to defend itself. 

“He’s what we have to work with right now, Courf,” Combeferre placidly reminds him. This is not their first time having this discussion. 

“That’s asinine, and you know it,” Courfeyrac snaps. For a second while he fumes, the room is silent enough to hear the turn of Enjolras’ page. 

Courfeyrac shakes his head and continues. “And that’s the problem, isn’t? We’re not going to get anywhere if we don’t first dismantle the system that puts two candidates no one likes or agrees with up for the highest office in the country and lets a person without a majority support hold that office. Don’t even get me started on the electoral college—I know you agree, and I’m too mad to think about it— but the parties! 

“First of all, I want the whole two-party system abolished. The parties are parasites! Even from an economic perspective, I don’t want them. Their pomp and conventions and propaganda do not come free. They collect millions of dollars for elections every four years and millions more in the midterms and locals just force on us people and a platform that we don’t agree and have no power over. It’s because of their chokehold on the system that we can’t get an actual liberal candidate in power, much less a leftist one. We need to remove the DNC and GOP from our election processes, and we need nationwide non-partisan ballots to decide on the final two candidates, regardless of their party. 

“Second, these platforms, these half-measures will not achieve the change the people are asking for, and the Democratic party knows it. They talk about giving cops ‘the tools to do better’ but not ensuring consequences for those who don’t use them, and about lowering prescription drug costs but not eliminating the possibility for medical bankruptcy. To attract the moderates, to soften the transition, to reduce the shock, to lure the people into the false sense of security that we have ever been doing enough to ensure justice or equity or to keep our planet habitable. No! Never give the people false hope. Our principles wither and die on the moderate platform. No half measures, no compromises, no unaccountable parties to speak for the people. In all these proposals, there is a caveat, a loophole to let the wealthiest and most powerful get away with maintaining the status quo. They feed us with one hand and cover our eyes with the other. A people who accept that compromise abdicate. Justice is only justice when it’s whole. No one is free until we are all free!” 

Courfeyrac looks to the fire in front of him, and he can’t resist. He crumples the cardstock in his hands and flings it into the flames. 

Combeferre watches the edges burn and curl into each other. “The two-party system, metamorphosed into flame.” 

Courfeyrac huffs. “If only.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is not me saying you shouldn’t vote in 2020. Fucking vote. 
> 
> op *is* down for talking politics in the comments. tell me why I’m wrong.


End file.
